Thread: Odds and Ends Chicago Trip Report

C’est la vie
We knew it was going to be tight, but sometimes a long shot comes in. Not only did we make the flight but got F - plenty of space in the overhead and waiting on the seat a blanket. I couldn’t believe our luck - the non-rev gods were smiling.
AND THEN, like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky on a summer day, in the front of the cabin, holding two BPs - the gate agent. He walked straight toward us, stooped down and whispered, “I’m so sorry, late pax, you’re going to have to go back to Coach, leave your bags, you can take the blankets”.
We take our new seats - two middle seats in the back.
C’est la vie

Thumper
I awoke to a tapping, as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
I looked into the hallway - nothing, just a hastily scribbled note on the hall table explaining everyone had gone to breakfast and they would stop and bring me back a Egg McMuffin (lucky me, McDonald’s now serves breakfast all day).
Back to bed, there it was again, that gentle thumping of the door.
I’m up now and in full investigation-mode. I looked everywhere, nothing. The dogs are safely behind the gate and the cats….. the cats were nowhere to be found.
Hmm what was that about the cat….and my bed. Well I tried to ignore it, but the cat was most persistent, shaking the door, crying. I’m telling you that cat wanted in and a closed door was not about to stop him. I finally got up let the cat in and retired to the hammock on the deck - I took the blanket.


Crack, Boom, Bang
So we’re watching “Interstellar” and eating Giordano's pizza, -deep dish (knife & fork) when all of a sudden cell phones start vibrating and emitting alarm tones.
Voice message -- ‘Severe Weather Alert’ A tornado has been spotted, seek shelter, take cover, go to the lowest level of your home immediately.
Everybody grabbed something -cell phone, iPad, dogs, pizza, pillows, blankets and headed for the basement - and the cats, well they had been hiding since the first crack of thunder (no doubt under my bed) everyone is sure they’ll be just fine.
So what do you do in the basement doing a thunderstorm --
watch movies, play cards, till the lights go out…..BANG.

ORD - Let ‘Em Roll
Rule of thumb: If the TSA PreCheck line is 45+ minutes expect lots of commotion at the gates.
I’m looking at five direct flights, plus four connecting backups, I liked the odds.
Well… it was one of those days, back and forth between H and K gates. We must of passed the Erwin Pearl store 20 times, does anybody even buy jewelry at the airport?
As each door closed I along with my ‘competitors’ log in, analyze the numbers and calculate the odds - rollover or go for backup - place your bets.
As we moved from gate to gate a camaraderie formed among our non-rev group - the knowing smile, the head nod, the shoulder shrug, the goodbye salute and the
oh you’re back again hand wave.
After the third rollover, most of the D3’s packed it in.
AND THEN, it was over, time for………… the decision.
Airport it was - free Wi-Fi, 24-hour Dunkin’ Donuts, and we’d passed some very comfortable looking red armless curved couches in a corridor between the gates, plus we wouldn’t have to go through that TSA checkpoint again, not bad at all, besides we’re non-revs, we’re cheap.

The next morning the entire group made it, first flight out. It was close, but it seems some pax got stuck in slowwwwwwww TSA lines. *wink*